British Journal of Radiology (2003) 76, 507-508
© 2003 British Institute of Radiology
doi:
Virtual endoscopy. By D Buthiau and D Khayat, pp. 192, 2003 (Springer-Verlag, France), £59.00 ISBN 2-287-59658-5
A K Banerjee
This latest contribution from the publishing house of Springer-Verlag is a state of the art review of the field of virtual endoscopy. 20 years ago a title like this would have been thought of as science fiction — something perhaps out of Star Trek. Today with the increasingly more sophisticated software on CT scanners and MRI systems, virtual endoscopy has become a reality and is contributing towards clinical care.
This multi-author text is divided into chapters covering the principles and performance of virtual CT and MRI endoscopy as well as sections on contrast agents and the applications of virtual endoscopy in otorhinolaryngology, oncology, colonoscopy and the urinary tract. The chapters are well illustrated. The chapter on contrast agents is particularly comprehensive and an excellent overview of the subject. The authors discuss the role of virtual endoscopy in disease screening, in helping pre-operative decision making, in follow-up of lesions and finally its role in education. There are fairly up to date references at the end of each chapter, although of course a subject like this, which is rapidly evolving, will almost inevitably be out of date by the time a book is produced.
This is an excellent introduction to the field of virtual endoscopy and will be a useful read for those hoping to set up a virtual endoscopy service. The only sad thing with a book with a title such as this is that it will be out of date in a very short time due to the rapid advances in software and hardware design. Nevertheless this volume is an excellent introduction to this rapidly evolving field. One particular feature of note, however, is the number of contributors for a book this size. The chapter on virtual colonoscopy (25 pages) boasts over 40 authors — surely a record!
